For those who can’t get enough of hearing a Jethro Tull album performed in full, live, such as Jethro Tull did this summer with their hit album Aqualung, including a stop in Phoenix last June, it has just been announced that Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull will perform the album Thick As A Brick live, in its entirety, for the first time since 1972. A world tour will commence in Great Britain on April 14, 2012 and will continue in Europe in the late spring and summer before playing in the United States from September through November, 2012. Although no United States tour cities and dates have been announced, it is hopeful that a tour stop will include Phoenix as Jethro Tull has, in the past, performed in Phoenix on a regular basis. This will be an Ian Anderson tour and not one of Jethro Tull, although the tentative musician lineup includes two members from this summer’s Jethro Tull touring group, John O’Hara on keyboards and David Goodier on bass.
According to the announcement, "this tour will feature a more theatrical production with video, additional musicians and a troupe of dancing elephants. (Just kidding about the dancing elephants: they don't dance...)”
Thick as a Brick was written in 1972 and was Ian Anderson’s response to critics calling Jethro Tull’s previous album, Aqualung, a concept album. The album consists of one song, comprising both sides of the album. Anderson was credited as writing the music and the lyrics were credited at the time to the fictitious character, 8 year-old Gerald Bostock. The record became a number one Billboard album and enjoyed huge commercial success in most countries of the world.
After the album’s release, Jethro Tull then dutifully took the somewhat theatrical show on the road in Great Britain, the United States and to other world markets. Since 1972, the album has never been performed in its entirety although a few minutes of the material have been a regular repertoire staple in both Jethro Tull and Ian Anderson solo shows over the years. A ten minute version of the album opened Jethro Tull’s performance this summer when the band played in Phoenix.
The release goes on to state “now, scheduled for performance again in 2012, Ian will take the original album to a theatre near you. It will be performed in its entirety in a theatrical setting with band, and additional guests.”
Comments